John Denham, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, has accused David Cameron of siding with the National Landlords Association (NLA) after he proposed a parliamentary motion calling for new shared housing planning permission requirements to be scrapped.

Denham said: “This is an incredible and devious misuse of the Parliamentary process, apparently at the behest of the NLA. David Cameron has personally signalled that he is against a measure that will be of immense benefit to the city. He is showing his true colours at last - doing favours for the NLA rather than listening to residents’ concerns.”

The new law requires that planning permission is obtained for new shared housing where three or more unrelated people live together. The plans will limit shared housing in many areas and will affect not only students, but migrant workers and those who rely of shared housing as an affordable housing option.

The new plans however are not retrospective so will not prevent existing properties from having to abide by the law, so not solving the problems associated with existing shared housing.

David Salusbury, chairman of the NLA, said: "This smacks of electioneering. John Denham has been vociferous in his campaign against shared housing. This law was rushed through Parliament without a chance for debate, excluding MPs from having a say on this ill thought out policy. It would have been more honest for John Denham to make the case for this change in Parliament, rather than avoiding debate.

"Government needs to rethink these plans, work with MPs and stakeholders from all sides and come up with better proposals. We want to see more shared housing for people who need it and local authorities directly tackling the problems associated with houses in multiple occupation."